First hike was at one of the local state parks near my house. There was not a particular reason I chose this trail first except I wanted to feel like I was getting lost for a moment. The problems with modern life is we are constantly busy. There is something always distracting us or giving us a reason to not have time to relax. Since I was feeling overwhelmed that day I decided to come to Malabar Farm to just get away. Get lost for an hour or so.
Malabar Farm State Park was and is an actual working farm that was once owned by Pulitzer Prize winner Louis Bromfield. He wanted to learn the ways of agriculture and practice conservation while owning the farm, and even wrote a book all about it titled Malabar Farm. This was the site where the opening and ending scenes of the Shawshank Redemption was filmed, and where the famous haunted Cecilia Rose house lies. The house also hosted a Hollywood wedding back in the 1940s. It wasn't until 1976 that Malabar Farm became a state park. Now they host a number of events, have clubs for people to join, and you can even just go fishing in the pond like I did when I was a kid.
I remember coming with the summer camp crew to Malabar to go fishing in the pond, and get peaches at the produce stand. We would come to Malabar when they had their Heritage Days events, and get old fashioned root beer. I was even crawling in Butternut "cave" at one point in my childhood when we would hike back to it. I didn't do serious hiking at the park until I was much older. I've even got lost with my little brother on one of the easier trails because it wasn't marked well.
I chose the bridle trail for my hike at this destination out of all the trails at the park because of how remote it feels. It reminds me of the remoteness of some trails in the National Parks I've been on. Depending on the park it's sometimes hard to feel like you are in a remote location in Ohio. Typically you either see a road or civilization near whenever you turn a corner sometimes. It's frustrating when you just want to escape. You may hear the cars sometimes on this trail here but at least you can feel like you can escape.
This was the third time I've been on this trail. The first time I got lost. It was cold just like this time around. I just kept walking for what felt like eternity. I didn't have a map of the trail I just relied on the markers that I would see occasionally. I finally found a marker that said I was close to Pleasant Hill Lake. I knew when I saw that marker that I was at the very back of the property. I kid you not that day I swear I walked from one end of the park to the other. The reason was to find Ferguson Falls. Did I eventually find it? Yes, but it was disappointing. There was no water flowing from it. I was so tired and was worried about getting lost again that day that I walked back to my car on the road going through the park.
The second time seemed easier with my little brother to help navigate. That day we didn't go far because I just wanted to get him out hiking like he wanted. This time around I was thinking how weird it is that a trail seems to get easier and easier the more you hike it. When I hiked it this time I had no problems finding my way through the fields and forests of the trails. I'm still always blown away by how the meadows just seem so vast sometimes.
This hike was a cold one, but it felt good to finally get out. I was really getting the winter time blues being cooped up in the house. That's not what my soul is about. It's about forests and green spaces. It was just me on the trail that day. I always love to be the only one on a trail. It means I get it all to myself. The sights, the smells, the feel of pine needles beneath your boots, the crisp air caressing your cheeks as you press on. I even found a little water feature that I didn't know was a little off the trail.
There was no special wildlife moment I had on this trail or some eventful thing that happened. I just enjoyed the stillness. I enjoyed the quietness of the forest. I didn't go far that day. I got to about half way on the trail, and decided to turn back. I didn't have my water bottle that day, and was going to have to get back anyway to finish the tasks I needed to get done that day.
That's all for this blog post for today. Post #2 will be up quite soon. Until happy trails my friends!
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